CPI(M) demands review of N-liability rules

New Delhi: CPI(M) on Thursday accused the government of diluting the provisions of liability for foreign suppliers in the implementation rules of the Civil Liability
for Nuclear Damage Act and demanded a review by Parliament.

"The rules notified under the Civil Nuclear Liability Act have diluted the provisions of liability for the foreign suppliers," the CPI(M) Politburo said in a statement here.

It said the right to recourse for the operator to claim damages from the foreign supplier has been limited to the duration of the initial licence period or the product
liability period, whichever is longer.

"The initial duration of the licence is normally five years and the product liability period will also be limited," the CPI(M) said.

The government yesterday announced that it had notified the implementation rules of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, which was passed in August last year.

"Such rules do not cover a reasonable period of the functioning of the reactor and its equipment," said the CPI(M) which had parted ways with UPA-I over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The CPI(M) noted that the rules have been notified on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s meeting with US President Barack Obama in Bali tomorrow.

"Obviously these rules have been framed in order to meet the objections of the US which wants the foreign suppliers` liability itself to be nullified," it said.

"The CPI(M) demands that parliament review the rules and adopt steps to ensure that the spirit and content of the law is not diluted in any way," the statement said.